THE father of an 11-year-old boy with special educational needs says his son has been "failed" as he remains without a secondary school place two months after term started.

Freddy Nickless should have started at a new school in September but dad Colin claims Southend Council has failed to provide him with a place that will meet the Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) prescribed for him.

He has been diagnosed with autism, ADHD and dyspraxia and health professionals have concluded that he needs 30 hours of one-to-one education each week.

However, despite "desperately" trying to find a suitable mainstream school during the application process months earlier, Mr Nickless claims none could meet his son's Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Frustrated Mr Nickless said: "It soon become apparent to us that every secondary school SEN co-ordinator we spoke to said they do not accommodate dedicated one-to-ones within their school which has been the policy in Southend schools for some years, even if stated in the child's EHCP, which is legally required to meet that child's education needs.”

He claims that at a cost of £9,000 for 30 hours one-to-one tuition per child, there is insufficient funding available to schools.

He added: “Freddy like many other SEN children in Southend find themselves disenfranchised and sat outside the school system unable to access an education all children are legally entitled to."

“There has been little action taken on the local authority's part to rectify nor understand the huge impact that has on an 11-year-old child missing out on an educational milestone like his other peers to form friendship groups and feel safe in an education system that cares about SEN children, rather than fail them.”

Despite his experience Southend Council maintains systems are in place to get SEND children appropriate school including one-to-one support.

Laurie Burton, councillor responsible for children, young people and SEND, said: “There is no policy which bans or otherwise limits the provision of direct one-to-one support for students through an EHC plan. We currently maintain a number of EHC plans where there are varying levels of specified one-to-one provision based on the individual needs of the child/young person as set out in their EHC plans.

“If there are any difficulties in providing such support, we expect our schools to raise these queries with us so that we are able to resolve them swiftly. All provisions within EHC plans are, and will continue to be, focussed on the individual needs of the pupils and incorporate a range of strategies and levels of support as appropriate.”